Basilica of Sant'Andrea, Mantua Church

Address: Piazza Sant’Andrea, 46100 Mantova MN, Italy

Hours: Generally open daily for visitors and worship; specific times for guided tours vary (confirm locally).

Admission: Free entry to the basilica; some special guided visits or crypt access may charge.

The Basilica of Sant’Andrea in Mantua is a Renaissance church designed by Leon Battista Alberti and begun in the mid 15th century to house a celebrated relic associated with Christ. It is an important early Renaissance building noted for its use of classical forms in a Christian church facade.

Key features include a triumphal-arch inspired facade, a deep barrel-vaulted nave and chapels arranged to emphasize the relic chapel and liturgical procession. The design influenced later Renaissance and Baroque church architecture across Italy.

Commissioned by the Gonzaga court, construction and decoration took place from the 15th century onward with later additions and completions over subsequent centuries, maintaining Alberti’s core classical vocabulary.

The basilica stands near Mantua’s historic center, close to the Palazzo Ducale and the city’s principal squares, forming part of Mantua’s compact urban fabric.

• Architectural significance: Designed by Renaissance architect Leon Battista Alberti in the 15th century, the basilica is notable for its classical facade and spatial use of a large barrel-vaulted nave.

Sant’Andrea sits in Mantua’s historic center, a short walk from the Palazzo Ducale and the Piazza Sordello. Mantua is reachable by train from Verona and Milan; from Mantua train station it’s a 15-20 minute walk or short taxi ride into the city center.

• Arrive early to see the basilica before tour groups arrive and to appreciate the light on the Andrea Mantegna cycle in quieter conditions.
• Don't miss the frescoes and the pulpit; the exterior portico has details often overlooked by rushed visitors.
• Combine with a walk around Mantua's lakeside and the Palazzo Ducale, both within easy walking distance.